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University College Cork

Finance - Banking & Risk Management

The course has an excellent employment track record. Since inception 100%of students on the course gained graduate employment. For a list of these jobs please see http://www.ucc.ie/en/media/Careers.pdf

Why choose this course?
As well as providing a rigorous grounding in theory and methods, the course will provide you with the practical skills and techniques widely used in financial markets. The course covers much of the CFA Levels 1-3 syllabus and includes regular presentations and workshops from outside practitioners. You will also manage your own simulated asset portfolio on-line throughout the year to put theory into practice.

Entry requirements

The course is open to applicants with a 2.1 degree or equivalent in a business subject

Applicants with a 2.1 degree or equivalent postgraduate qualification in a related subject with a quantitative element such as mathematics, statistics, engineering, science, etc.

If you are applying with Qualifications obtained outside Ireland and you wish to verify if you meet the minimum academic and English language requirements for this programme please view the grades comparison site.

Non-EU Candidates

Non-EU candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to Irish university primary degree level. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language. To verify if you meet the minimum academic requirements for this programme please visit our qualification comparison pages.

For more detailed entry requirement information please refer to the International website .

Duration

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Part-time option taught during weekday working hours.

Careers or further progression

Skills and Careers Information
The course brings you into direct contact with financial markets, their issues and practices through practitioner seminars and visiting speakers throughout the year, across all modules.

In this course:
-you will be trained in financial research, consulting and professional report writing
-you will be taught about the quantitative methods relevant to the financial sector and required for PhD level research
-your inter-personal, organisational and leadership competencies will be developed
-your oral and written communication skills will be improved through assignments, dialogue, exercises, presentations, etc.

The blended learning approach to education combines lectures, projects, seminars, group discussion, presentations and individual and group reports.

Further enquiries

Programme Administrator
Eithne Hurley
email:eithne.hurley@ucc.ie
tel: +353 21 490 3574

Subjects taught

The MSc Finance (Banking and Risk Management) course in UCC involves advanced study of the practices of investment, banking and risk management. Course modules cover topics such as:
asset pricing
portfolio management
international finance
financial institutions
capital markets
treasury management
derivative securities
risk management.

The course also involves an applied research project, using cutting-edge techniques and software.

The MSc Finance (Banking and Risk Management) is at the top end of graduate study in business/finance in Ireland and is designed for high achievers who wish to pursue high-end careers in financial markets, such as:
investment banking
corporate banking
trading/dealing
portfolio management
asset pricing
treasury
capital markets (equity, money, bond, FX and derivatives markets)
risk management
financial analysis
research

Course Details

Candidates take taught modules with examinations over two semesters and then complete a minor dissertation. The taught modules are as follows:

Fund Management and Evaluation: studies portfolio management, return and risk evaluation in stock selection, market timing and persistence.

Fixed Income Securities: examines the term structure of interest rates and yield curve analysis, exotic bond valuation, duration, convexity, immunisation, asset backed securities and bond portfolio management.

Asset Pricing: examines models of asset returns, stock price predictability and market efficiency.

Securities Valuation and Selection: examines risk tolerance, asset allocation, stock valuation models and a financial analysis of a firm.

International Finance: focuses on how economic policy and the behaviour of agents impact international capital flows, exchange rates and global investments.

Treasury Risk Management: looks at the measurement and management of risks facing banks and corporations arising from volatility in currency and money markets.

Financial Institutions and Money Markets: looks at the role of money markets and banks in the economy, focuses on understanding the types of risk facing banks and the management of this risk.

Derivative Securities: introduces the concepts and mathematical techniques in pricing derivatives including options, swaps, forwards and futures on underlying assets.

Macroeconomics for Financial Markets: looks at macroeconomics theories, models and techniques relevant to financial markets. Topics include business cycles, economic growth, uncertainty, monetary policy, inflation and the labour market.

Regulation and Compliance in Capital Markets: covers the guiding principles behind financial regulation and the main differences between the roles and key legal aspects of different regulatory institutions.

Applied Econometrics: includes regression analysis, OLS, hypothesis testing and specification.

Applied Time Series Analysis: includes ARIMA models, Box-Jenkins methodology, ARCH-GARCH models, VAR models, unit-root testing and co-integration.

Research Methods: includes (i) a report writing/economic consulting element, (ii) visiting speaker seminar series, (iii) research methods training and (iv) workshops on recent developments in financial research.

Further details on the content and modules are available on the Postgraduate College Calendar.

Comment

Course Practicalities
You attend lectures for approximately 12 hours per week. There are additional research workshop hours and you will also attend regular visiting speaker seminars and practical laboratory sessions.

Assessment method

Normally, your work will be assessed by coursework projects (30%) and final examinations (70%).

Application date

Closing dates

Closing Dates for Application

Applications for 2018 start dates will open on November 1st 2017.

EU Applicants: UCC operates a rounds closing date system for the majority of postgraduate taught programmes (detailed below).

Some programmes have a specific closing date. Applicants are advised to consult with the postgraduate prospectus for programmes with a specific closing date.

The UCC rounds EU application system closing dates for Postgraduate Taught courses are detailed below. However, we would advise applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Deadline for receipt of Applications: Offers will be made:
For all completed applications received by January 15th 2018 Offers will be made by January 29th 2018

For all completed applications received by March 1st 2018 Offers will be made by March 15th 2018

For all completed applications received by May 1st 2018
Offers will be made by May 15th 2018

For all completed applications received by July 2nd 2018
Offers will be made by July 16th 2018

Late applications may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for any courses that have remaining capacity for places.

While there is no official closing date for Research courses applicants are advised to submit their application at least two months ahead of their proposed start date. There are four official Research start dates September/October, January, April and July.

Non-EU Applicants:

Please visit the following page for further information for Non EU applicants http://www.ucc.ie/en/international/studyatucc/postgraduateprogrammes/tau...